The World Bank and French Development Agency held a critical implementation support mission for the Rural Access and Agricultural Marketing Project (RAAMP) in Abuja, highlighting the need for immediate action by participating states to meet the project’s objectives.
The 7th Joint Implementation Support Mission, held at the Shehu Yar’Adua Conference Centre, brought together representatives from the 19 states involved in RAAMP to review progress and discuss the way forward for the project’s scale-up phase.
A sense of urgency permeated the discussions, as the Task Team Leader, Mr. Rakesh Trapathi, expressed serious concerns about the states’ ability to expedite the awarding of civil works contracts over the next six months. Mr. Rakesh emphasized that this milestone is crucial for RAAMP to achieve its objectives within the project’s lifespan, which is set to end on June 30, 2026.
“The states must demonstrate their commitment to this project by awarding civil works contracts without delay,” Mr. Rakesh said. “We will not hesitate to recommend for the removal of any SPIU staff who fails to put in the necessary effort to address rural poverty, which is a key aim of RAAMP.”
Also, Sally Ibrahim of the AFD and the National Coordinator, Engineer Aminu Bodinga Muhammad, echoed the call for stakeholders commitment, urging everyone to work in unison to ensure the project’s success.
The mission also expressed grave concerns about the operationalization of the Rural Access Road Agency (RARA) and the State Road Fund(SRF), which are stipulated in the subsidiary loan agreement with the donor partners.
These institutions are seen as crucial to the long-term sustainability and success of RAAMP.
During the event, the state project coordinators, including Engineer Sheidu Obansa Adamu of Kogi RAAMP, presented updates on their respective states’ progress and challenges. The discussions aimed to foster transparency and collaboration, as the World Bank and French Development Agency representatives emphasized the need for tangible results in the coming months.
The RAAMP scale-up pre-appraisal process has highlighted the urgency and importance of the project in driving rural development and poverty alleviation in Nigeria.
The donor partners have made it clear that they expect unwavering commitment and decisive action from the participating states to ensure RAAMP’s success.